The National Chest Hospital Blood Collection Centre is set to undergo major rehabilitation works following the signing of a $16-million contract on Friday, part of a wider push to strengthen voluntary blood donation and improve national supply capacity.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness said the upgrade comes as Jamaica continues to rely heavily on a system that currently collects between 35,000 and 40,000 units of blood annually against significantly higher demand for surgeries, trauma care, and maternal emergencies, a ministry statement said.

Minister of State in the ministry, Krystal Lee, said the initiative is aimed at shifting the country away from replacement donations toward voluntary and repeat blood donation.